Kaushambhi (Uttar Pradesh), May 4 (IANS): Three women were killed and several others injured in a blast in a cracker factory in Kokhraj area here on Monday.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ramveer Singh said three women labourers were making firecrackers in the back portion of one Haider Ali's house, near the Bharwari police outpost.

He further said that the explosion took place while they were working.

Geeta Devi died on the spot and Pushpa and Radhika, who had sustained critical burn injuries in the explosion, succumbed to burn injuries during treatment.

The local residents doused the flames that engulfed the house after the explosion and fire tenders reached after almost an hour.

The police that reached the site of the accident evacuated others from the house and sent them for treatment. Almost all of them have suffered burn injuries.

Those seriously injured have been identified as Albina, Nazim, Nagma, Rashida and two minor children.

According to the injured, one woman Rashida was cooking food in the house on Friday morning when there was a leakage in the gas cylinder that caused an explosion and the fire spread to the area where the crackers were being made.

The explosion was so strong that the walls of the surrounding houses also cracked and people ran out of the house.

The cracker factory was being run without a license.

According to DSP, the entire case is being investigated and action would be taken if any lapses are found.